"Appy's" the 30th team to qualify for this years's MIT semi-finalist round

by Naharnet Newsdesk25 March 2013, 20:13

Lebanese “Appy’s” has been selected as one of the semi-finalist teams for this year’s MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab Region Start-Up Competition for the Ideas Track.

Two architects, working in a creative field and having both an entrepreneurial spirit. “Rabih Khalifeh” and “Maya Moussallem” are a happily married couple who met 10 years ago at university,The synergy in their couple is translated into many projects they have worked on as a team or within a team, among others Appy's, the dehydrated crispy Lebanese apple chips.

Inspiration

The idea came up to Rabih after watching a report interviewing Lebanese farmers and showcasing the waste of a huge quantity of apples each year because the local market is saturated and the export of raw apples is experiencing a huge recession. “I remembered eating tasty apple chips abroad and thought it could be a great alternative new market for the apple trade and export sector”, explained Rabih.

The young couple decided to make the Lebanese apple chips idea real because they believed it was the right timing for such a concept that has a great social and economical impact on local community while being a rewarding business for them.

Problematic and Concept

The apple chips idea addresses a local problematic and a market need, for the apple trade sector is facing a severe recession lately because of lots of apples’ damage which engenders a great financial loss for the farmers. On the other hand, lots of people are drifting towards healthier eating habits. Apple chips is a healthy tasty snack introducing a new market for apples trade and therefore it’s an important support for Lebanese farmers and a booster for the agro-food industry in the country by supporting the Lebanese apple farmers through buying their products, enhancing the economy through the export of a Lebanese product to other countries, offering new job opportunities for the local community and displaying a new healthy, natural, non fat and tasty competitive product in the market.

Appy's will be available in supermarkets, schools, gyms, and even clubs under different flavors (natural, salt, cinnamon, caramel and chocolate) to suit the taste of all people looking for a healthier way of living and eating. Food nutritionists are already consulted to ensure the production of a healthy and tasty snack up to highest quality standards.

Advice for Entrepreneurs

“You have to believe that if all beautiful ideas become actually real, the world would be a better place!”